Spain

Gamesa postpones 5.5MW turbine development

SPAIN: Gamesa has indefinitely postponed the development of a 5.5MW onshore/offshore turbine, announced at the end of 2012.

The Gamesa 5MW prototype being constructed

Speaking to Windpower Monthly, a Gamesa spokesman confirmed it was no longer working on the platform and was concentrating on the 5MW machine being developed in the Canary Islands.

The intention to build a 5.5MW platform was one of the first announcements by new executive chairman Ignacio Martín. In October last year, he said a 2.5MW platform and the 5.5MW onshore/offshore turbine would come out in Q2 2014 and Q4 2014 respectively as part of the company's new strategic plan.

As recently as EWEA 2013 in February, Gamesa publicised its progress on the 5.5MW platform. It was unable to give a reason for the decision to halt the project.

The company added that the 5MW turbine, which has been referred to as an offshore-only platform, will now be available for onshore sites. The 5MW turbine is adapted from the 4.5MW platform, which is designed for medium wind speed conditions. Both wind turbines have a 128-metre rotor.

At the time of the announcement of the 5.5MW platform, Gamesa said it was indefinitely postponing the 7-8MW offshore turbine that had been planned to come out in prototype by 2014, putting it back to an unspecified date in the "medium to long term".

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